Pelargonium plant named ‘Hughes Gold’

ABSTRACT

A new cultivar of  Pelargonium  plant named ‘Hughes Gold’ that is characterized by its foliage with bright gold/chartreuse new growth and changes to chartreuse as it matures, its solid orange colored flowers, and its well branched plant habit and good vigor.

Botanical classification: Pelargonium x hortorum.

Cultivar designation: ‘Hughes Gold’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Pelargonium plant, botanically known as Pelargonium x hortorum ‘Hughes Gold’ and will be referred to hereafter by its cultivar name, ‘Hughes Gold’. ‘Hughes Gold’ represents a new cultivar of zonal geranium grown as an ornamental annual for container use.

The new cultivar was discovered by the Inventor in March of 2018 as a naturally occurring branch mutation of the Pelargonium x hortorum cultivar ‘Crystal Palace Gem’ (not patented) that was growing in a container in a greenhouse in Marengo, Ohio.

Asexual reproduction of the new cultivar was first accomplished by stem cuttings in in March of 2018 by the Inventor in Marengo, Ohio. Asexual reproduction by stem cuttings has determined that the characteristics of this cultivar are stable and are reproduced true to type in successive generations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and represent the characteristics of ‘Hughes Gold’. These attributes in combination distinguish ‘Hughes Gold’ as a new and distinct cultivar of Pelargonium.

-   -   1. ‘Hughes Gold’ exhibits foliage with bright gold/chartreuse         new growth and changes to chartreuse as it matures.     -   2. ‘Hughes Gold’ exhibits solid orange colored flowers.     -   3. ‘Hughes Gold’ exhibits a well branched plant habit and good         vigor.

The parent of ‘Hughes Gold’, ‘Crystal Palace Gem’, differs from ‘Hughes Gold’ in having chartruese colored foliage with a prominent green area on the centers of the leaves. The new cultivar, ‘Hughes Gold’, can be most closely compared to Pelargonium cultivars ‘Persian Queen’ (not patented) and ‘Wilhelm Langguth’ (not patented). ‘Persian Queen’ is similar to ‘Hughes Gold’ in having gold foliage and inflorescences that are similar in size. ‘Persian Queen’ differs from ‘Hughes Gold’ in having flowers that are fuschia pink in color. ‘Wilhelm Langguth’ is similar to ‘Hughes Gold’ in plant size and vigor. ‘Wilhelm Langguth’ differs from ‘Hughes Gold’ in having leaves that are variegated with green centers and white margins and flowers that are true red in color.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The accompanying colored photographs illustrate the overall appearance and distinct characteristics of the new Pelargonium. The following is a detailed description of a 5 month-old plants as grown in a greenhouse in a 8.5-inch container in Marengo, Ohio.

The photograph in FIG. 1 is a view of a plant of ‘Hughes Gold’ in bloom.

The photograph in FIG. 2 is of a view of a newly opening flower of ‘Hughes Gold’.

The colors in the photographs are as close as possible with the photographic and printing technology utilized and the color values cited in the detailed botanical description accurately describe the colors of the new Pelargonium.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION OF THE PLANT

The following is a detailed description of 10-weeks old plants as grown outdoors in 8.5-inch containers in in Marengo, Ohio. The phenotype of the new cultivar may vary with variations in environmental, climatic, and cultural conditions, as it has not been tested under all possible environmental conditions. The color determination is in accordance with The 2015 R.H.S. Colour Chart of The Royal Horticultural Society, London, England, except where general color terms of ordinary dictionary significance are used.

-   General characteristics:     -   -   Blooming period.—Continuously throughout the growing season.         -   Plant type.—Blooming annual.         -   Plant habit.—Upright and mounding.         -   Height and spread.—Reaches about 61 cm in height and spread             as a 3-month-old plant in a container.         -   Cold hardiness.—At least to U.S.D.A. Zones 9 to 11, grown as             a annual.         -   Diseases and pests.—No susceptibility or resistance to pests             or diseases has been observed.         -   Root description.—Fibrous, 164C in color.         -   Branching habit.—Well-branched.         -   Growth rate.—Moderately vigorous.         -   Propagation.—Stem cuttings.         -   Root development.—Roots initiate in 12 to 14 days, a young             rooted plant is produced in 4 to 5 weeks. -   Stem description:     -   -   Stem size.—Main stem; 3 cm in length and 9 mm in width,             lateral stems (2); an average of 27.5 cm in length and 7 mm             in width.         -   Stem shape.—Round-oval.         -   Stem strength.—Moderately strong.         -   Stem color.—144C with leaf nodes 149D.         -   Stem surface.—Matt and slightly glandular.         -   Internode length.—Average of 7 mm. -   Foliage description:     -   -   Leaf shape.—Orbicular.         -   Leaf division.—Single.         -   Leaf base.—Cordate.         -   Leaf apex.—Rounded.         -   Leaf venation.—Palmate, 141D on upper and lower surfaces.         -   Leaf margins.—Palmate shallow lobes; average of 5, lobe             margins crenate.         -   Leaf attachment.—Petiolate.         -   Leaf arrangement.—Opposite to subopposite.         -   Leaf surface.—Upper surface matt and very finely pubescent,             lower surface matt, glabrous with veins finely pubescent.         -   Leaf color.—Young and unshaded upper surface; 150B and             N144B, young and unshaded lower surface; blend of 144C and             N144D, mature and shaded upper surface; a color between 144A             and 138A with center blotches of 144C, mature and shaded             lower surface; 138B with some mottling of 144D.         -   Leaf size.—Matures to an average of 6.5 cm in length and 7.3             cm in diameter.         -   Leaf quantity.—Average of 10 per lateral branch (with some             lower leaves dropped).         -   Petioles.—An average of 6 cm in length and 2.5 mm in             diameter, 144D in color, very finely pubescent surface.         -   Stipules.—Leafy stipule present at the base of petiole;             lanceolate to ovate in shape, apex cuspidate, margin entire,             base truncate, average of 1 cm in length and 7 mm in width,             144D in color on both surfaces, upper surface is satiny and             finely pubescent, lower surface is satiny and glabous,             margins hairy. -   Flower description:     -   -   Inflorescence type.—Compound terminal umbel.         -   Lastingness of inflorescence.—About 3 weeks from the opening             of the first flower to senescence of last flower on             inflorescence, individual flower lasts about 6 days,             inflorescences are continuously produced during the bloom             season.         -   Inflorescence size.—An average of 6 cm in height and 9 cm in             width.         -   Flower fragrance.—Mild pelargonium fragrance.         -   Flower number.—Average of 23 per inflorescence.         -   Flower aspect.—Open flowers upright to outward with unopened             flowers held downward.         -   Flower bud.—An average of 1.4 cm in length and 5 mm in             width, narrow oblanceolate in shape, color; petal portion             44B, calyx portion 144C with shading of 152B, surface             glabrous on petal portion and pubescent on calyx portion.         -   Flower form.—Rotate.         -   Flower size.—An average of 4 cm in diameter and 1 cm in             depth.         -   Petals.—5, self-cleaning, both surfaces glabrous, rotate and             non overlapping to slightly overlapping, obovate in shape,             margins entire, apex rounded, base cuneate, an average of             2.2 cm in length and 2 cm in width, color when opening and             fully open upper side; N30A with very base NN155B, color             when opening and fully open lower side; 70N30B and very             slightly flushed with 39B.         -   Calyx.—Campanulate in form, an average of 1 cm in length and             1.5 cm in width.         -   Sepals.—5, base lower 33% fused, lanceolate in shape,             margins entire, apex acuminate, an average of 1 cm in length             and 3 mm in width, upper surface is glabrous and satiny,             lower surface pubescent, margins pubescent with long fine             hairs, color; a bend of 144A and 144B on upper and lower             surface.         -   Peduncle.—An average of 15 cm in length, 2 mm in width,             N144D in color, held primarily upright, strong, surface             pubescent.         -   Pedicel.—An average of 2.8 mm in length and 1 mm in width,             N144D in color and slightly flushed with 184A, strong, held             upright to outward, surface pubescent. -   Reproductive organs:     -   -   Gynoecium.—Pistil; 1, stigmas; 5, 1 mm in length, and 60C in             color, style; average of 2.5 mm in length and a blend of 60D             and 145D in color, ovary 2 mm in length and 144A in color.         -   Androcoecium.—Stamens; Average of 10, anthers; oval in             shape, 1 mm in length, 0.3 mm in width and 60A in color,             filaments; 4 mm in length, lanceolate in shape, 60D in color             on upper portion and NN155D on lower portion, pollen is             moderate in quantity and 22A in color.         -   Fruit/seeds.—No fruit or seeds detected to date. 

It is claimed:
 1. A new and distinct cultivar of Pelargonium plant named ‘Hughes Gold’ as herein illustrated and described. 